How Was Cal Stewart?

Hi Earl,

I spent about 4 hours there yesterday. I thought it was a good show. They announced before we went in that they liked the new location better. Most people I spoke to liked the venue. I didn't see any new layouts. The TCA had tinplate running as you entered. Local Clubs had their layouts set up as well.  It seemed to me that the number of sellers was about the same as last year, just a guess. It was not crowed when I left.  I'll probably go back today. I just got into tinplate recently, and this is the only place in So Cal to see/ find a variety of items.  My next venture is going to be Standard Gauge.

From Lancaster, it might be better to take Hwy 138 to Interstate 15 south. Avoid the LA traffic. 

Bob

I miss the Cal Stewart show, got a bunch of friends there I really miss, Richard Keppel is the guy responsible for the tinplate show, I helped MTH Bob at one time with the MTH display and got to talk to ny for a bit. **** of a nice guy with a real gold heart.

John

just returned from cal-stewart.  pretty good crowd. was there over three hours and spent around three hundred on odds and ends.  everyone I talked with said it was much better then last year.

met a nice lady from las vegas who was practically giving away her stuff.  A friend got a Legacy expansion set for 150.00.

We went on Saturday. Got in about 11am. It's a much closer drive for us going to Ontario so that was great. $9 for parking is just a fact that we all deal with, especially in Southern CA. Most big hotels here charge you to park there even as a guest. Seemed like the same amount of sellers and layouts as in the past. Spent a couple hundred bucks on some structures for the layout. I would say about the same all around "show wise" and definitely like the shorter drive better.   

Richard Keppel and Ramon Garcia told me to tell you "Hi." Richard said you need to get on a plane out here next year (he said the same applies to me if I'm in Texas next year.)

Didn't really get to operate much this weekend as I had stuff to do at the office early Saturday morning (did get to test a new set of F-units at the club that afternoon.) Did run into some old friends from my Tinplate Tracker days. The regular sellers were there.

I definitely like the Ontario Convention Center better than Pasadena -- better parking, easier access, easier loading/unloading.

We miss you at AGHR, too, John.

Is there any resedentual neighborhoods nearby where if your willing to walk a little you can avoid the $9. parking charge. thats what I used to do at the Pasadena Cal Stewart.

IMHO the new venue for Cal Stewart was a huge success. The parking is a reasonable (for a government controlled lot) $9.00, with a very short walk to enter the building. The hall is a very nice size (expandable if the event grows) and well lighted. The center has dropped their goofy no smoke unit use from a few years ago that caused a great deal of frustration with layouts and vendors at the "Big Train Show" which uses the same facility. The snack bar food is reasonable for a convention center with a very fresh Ham and Swiss selling for $7.00. The convention center staff was first rate and very friendly. This facility was 100 percent better than Pasadena.

As for the show itself, I only went on Sunday due to my work schedule, but was able to lighten my wallet with some very nice rolling stock purchases. There was a beautiful 700K for sale that was assembled but still in primer gray. American Flyer was all over the place as was a large amount of prewar O and standard. I was disappointed at not finding any on grade postwar I was looking for, but there was tons of runner stuff. Very nice raffle as well.

The Southwest crew did a great job, and it was well worth the trip from Orange County.

Regards,

Randall

It's risky as the only things around the Ontario Convention Center are businesses. You'd park for free, then get towed.

Had a great time. Met people I only get to see once every year or so. Met Arno Baars. He has been very helpful to me on the forums and pointed me toward a part for a new purchase. Lots of standard gauge which is what I was looking for this year. Got a few great deals and left behind a good chunk of change.

Ontario is about the same distance for me from Yorba Linda, but the drive is nicer, parking is much superior as is loading/unloading. Guess my biggest gripe was $3.25 for a $1.25 bottle of soda, but then it's my own fault for forgetting my lunch

Those that live in the LA area seem to complain about the drive, those flying in from out of the area seem to love it. Over all the Southwest guys did good. Pasadena was just getting to expensive.

Steve

Is it close to lite rail from LA?

Thank you to Matt Jackson, Jerry Johnson, Jon and Claudia Haskett, and Jerry Moser for making this year's TCA Western Division Floor Layout a success again.  It was a great event!  Once again we were treated extremely well by T.T.O.S. (they are very kind to us each and every year-thank you to Hollis Cotton, Bruce Lazarus, and the T.T.O.S. Board!).  We were positioned right at the entrance, front and center, so the public and especially the kids could see Standard and O-Gauge trains running immediately as the entered.

I got to meet a lot of new people and see many old friends again.

As others have mentioned, the venue was an improvement over Pasadena (much easier to load and unload).  The banquet food was excellent!

Great event, only problem is waiting until next year to do it all again!

RAK, sorry I was unable to attend this year.  I was thinking about the team this weekend.  I am glad that you all had a successful show.  Sounds like Ontario is a good venue considering everything.  Parking is a little pricey but so was the old place.  It's a California thing.  However, when I think about how much I used to spend going to York, this would be a bargain.  John P, and Matt Jackson, I missed seeing both of you guys too.  DCS forever,

Ray

I live closer to Ontario than I do to Pasadena and I really liked then new venue. The dinner was excellent and there was a little cafe outside the meet hall that while a little pricey had great gourmet style food. The hall was really nice and it was very busy the whole time. I was able to upgrade at least 5 or 6 Legacy units for my friends and their friends so a great big thank you goes to Jon at Lionel for getting me out of a jam and getting me the second black module. There were deals there the whole weekend and lots to do so I am really looking forward to next year. My wife and I raced each other in the train races with our gang cars. I won but she wants a rematch for next year.....

Ray,

We missed having you there-several people asked about you.  I hope you are well sir.

John Pignatelli,

You need to fly out next year, you were very much missed too, sir!

I asked this somewhere, now I can't find it. Anyway, what does STEWART mean? CAL is for California right?

someone gave this link, you must have missed it the explaination is long.

http://www.ttos-sw.org/cal-stewart_history.htm

Yes, CAL is for California. STEWART is in reference to the late TCA member Don Stewart, who originated the idea of the meet back in the early 70s.  He died in a car accident before the first meet was hosted so it was named so in his honor.